Breaks

I always believe in taking short holidays as it helps to improve the efficiency of work therefore i think i'm going thailand soon. I've been such a bummer ever since my work has ended. Damm i need a job. Anyway you guys should check out URBAN today from the straits time. It talks about Urban Etiquette. Manners and stuff. Very important for the 21st century. =)

Freedom.

It's the end of my school life. For my presentation today, I really hoped that the teacher would ask me alot of questions like the rest of my classmates so i could score more marks. I sat through 3 presentations and it was amazing how the teacher bombed my classmates. I hope to get bombed but the teacher didn't even ask me any questions. I wonder why.

Anyway at the end, he said very good so i really hope it's very good. Freedom for now, i wonder what i'm going to do everyday. I need a job, i want to do those roadshow kinds. If anyone has got any lobang please let me know.

I think that i am really going to miss my life in school. My beloved class RL, which i was a class rep from the beginning. See how much happy times i had in school, i wish i could stay back. *grin* Let's be realistic, everyone is going to part soon. We would all move on with our lives. All the best RL =)

Quote of the day: In whatever you do, find hope for hope takes you to places.

Attachment Ends.

My attachment at Tangs has finally attended, i got what i wanted an A for my industrial attachment. It's amazing how fast 2 months has just passed like that. I still remember the first day of work when i was introduced to my supervisor.

Being at customer service counter could be quite fun, only when i get the chance to handle angry, difficult customers. If not the rest of the time i'm just doing all the paper work and stuff. I love handling difficult customers, no idea why hahah i find the "kick" whenever there is an angry customer.

My presentation is on monday, once i'm done with my presntation that marks the end of my ITE life. I would have a month's break then i would officially start with Tangs. I shall blog more once it's all over tml =)

The Angry Customer.

My second last day of work, at 1300 hours sharp my colleague accompanied an angry customer down to the customer service counter. Customer wanted to redeem her credit card points into Tangs voucher to purchase a camera, problem being she was given the orange colour voucher. At Tangs there are two kind of voucher, the green and the orange. The green you could use for almost anything, the orange you cannot use for discounted items and electrical and electronic products.

Customer claimed that she called the customer service counter on monday and our staff told her that we could use the orange voucher to make purchase for the camera. All the staff at customer service counter knows that the orange voucher cannot be used for electrical and electronic products. I guess maybe there was a miscommuication. Customer was fuming mad making alot of noise.

She came with a problem, I offered her a solution which was to get her points back into the card and forfeit the Tangs voucher. I didn't know how to go about so i called for the duty manager to come in to settle the problem. She was pretty calm when the duty manager arrived. I think we managed to settle another angry customer. The problem was with the bank for not informing the customer of the voucher terms and condition.

Being in the customer service line, sometimes you have to solve problems not caused by your own organization. Life's like that, i love my job =)

First MC.

I woke up this morning feeling pretty weak, no idea why so i decided to take my first MC of my attachment. I didn't go to work for a few reasons. Firstly i did't want my colleagues and customers to me affected by my sickness next i've already got my grade so it would have been better that i rest at home. Well let's just hope my heartache and bodyache both go away soon =)

The Heartbreaker

I started dating when I was 15, alot of girls came in and out of my life. I could never handle relationships, I don't know why. Maybe that's why i'm term as a player. I don't know what girls saw in me, but it's not like it freaking matters anymore. I get sick of girls fast, I don't know why but maybe there are too many of them. I'm the envy of my friends, but there's nothing I could be proud of going thru so many relationships. I think life as a bachelor would suit me the best, I'm tired of being a heartbreaker. I'm tired of love. My friends would prob tell me to take a break, but i think i need more then a break. I need a break through. Peace now !

Quote of the day: Lonely is a man without love ( contradicting but it's the truth)

My Life @ 21.

I don't know what to say about my life. I'm in a total dilemma. There is something which is missing from my life and i think it's proberly religion. I've distant from God for sometime already, everytime i want to go back i don't have enough willpower to do so.

Work has been Great =)

Work has been great so far, been solving problems for customers and that's what i love to do most. I look forward to my job each day hoping to help customers solve their problem. I received a few compliments today. I shall share with you guys one where i rejected a lady 3 times for a compliment card but yet she insisted.

I came back to the customer service counter from distributing some maps to the cashier counters and i saw my colleague looking up the phone directory for the number of centrepoint. I asked my colleague wat happen and what the customer needed. Then i called the hotline looking for centrepoint, then the lady said compass point, so i callled compass point and when i called compass point the lady wanted to find out the number of this particular shop dere.

I manage to locate the number for this lady and she was overwhelmed by the fact that i was able to solve her problems in 1 min flat, while my colleague was trying to locate centrepoint for the past 15 mins, it's kinda cool when someone tells u that you save their day !

She insisted on writing me the compliment card and praised me that i should continue my good service. Life has been good so far, prob because i work in an all girls enviroment and it helps alot for the simple fact that i get along better with girls haha.

Quote of the day: We are what we repeatly do, then excellence is not act but a habit

Customer Service Counter

Working at the customer service counter could be quite a challenge, although the job scope seems easy. All we need to do is to exchange gift vouchers and refund GST but once in a while there would be some customers with problems in which we need to help.

There were two such cases today, but i am too tired to emphasis on it as i just finish doing my report and presentation for my IA module. All i need to do is to take some pictures and i would be done with the report. Roarrr!

I'm looking forward to my job again tml. It's pretty slack i must say. Till next time adios amigos !


Something to think about: Are endings really happy ?

Goodbye Playlab.

It's the last day of my attachment at Playlab Tangs, I would be going down to the customer service counter on monday. 6 weeks of my attachment has past in the wink of an eye, as i left the place this evening it kinda hurt alittle as i know that i would miss dearly the people whom been through thick and thin with me in the past 6 weeks. I left quickly as i didn't wanna show my emotions. Special thanks to the people that had been patient with me and showed me the ropes of retailing.

I came in as an ITE Scholar, potrayed a pretty arrogant image and irritated the hell out of my colleagues. 6 weeks later i really hope they miss the irritating part of me and not remember the arrogant me haha. I learnt alot during my past 6 weeks and it would definately help when i officially start work next year at Tangs.

Providing excellent customer service is a team effort, it doesn't mean that if i can provide excellent customer service it means that the store would have excellent customer service standards. It takes one bad egg to spoil the store image. Never tell your customers i don't know, they don't want to hear the problem, they want the solution

On monday, I would be starting work at customer service. I admit that i've been slacking a little and taking my attachment scores for granted. I realise that there's a second grading to be done and that we would be evaluate after 2 weeks. It's not fair, but since when was life fair. I have to try my best to impress my manager, more importantly my customers.

I'm looking forward to customer service counter, i hope to relive the passion that was growing so strongly. The passion for retail, the passion to put a smile on another Tangs customer.

Quote of the day: First say to yourself what you would be, then say to yourself what you would do.

Meeting @ 9

It's my off day today but i needed to attend a department meeting held by my RM. We talked briefly about our department and how to improve. Towards the end of the meeting he said to me : You are so quiet today, it's not like you. I replied i'm left with two days, then he added if I start we might have to extend the meeting. Haha (I take that as a compliment because at least he knows that i provide feedback)

I believe that it's good to voice out your concerns and stuff but you must wait for the right time. If you got nothing constructive to say then just shut up. Heh oh btw he asked me where would i see myself in 5 years. I said managing stores ! haha hopefully it comes true.

After the 90mins meeting i went shopping around Tangs to buy some make up for my sister and mom. I realise the standard of service isn't really very good yet at Tangs. We could really improve so much more. I believe that we should always go the extra mile when serving each and every individual customer.

I headed down to FCUK at wisma to get a top, there is practically not much service till the end when the lady was smiling cos i made purchase. If not there's practically no service at all. Fcuked Up. *grin*

Somehow i have very high expectations of customer service these days. For eg; when i walk into a shop and they dont provide good service i would not make purchase for any products unless i really need it. As for FCUK, i needed the product so i had no choice.

It's back to work at Playlab tml for two days then i'll get another two days off haha. Don't ask me why i got so much off days but maybe it's because i deserve a good break. As for now i wish all my colleagues the best at PLAYLAB and i think they deserve to be in the top 5 departments at Tangs.

Quote of the day: If you don't talk, no one would think you are a mute.

Inspiring Giordano

I walked past the Giordano shop at lucky plaza today and i saw this poster which they placed outside their shop. It was a poster which was about the two awards which Giordano claimed. Best supervisor and best sales staff both came for Giordano. The award was given out by Singapore Retail Association. It's inspiring, i know it's difficult but i really hope to get there someday. I'll would work hard towards it.

Quote of the day : Dreams are extremly important, if you can't dream you can't imagine.

5 Most Common Mistake

I made some observations while working at Tangs recently about some of the most common mistake that sales staff make while working without realizing.

1) Leaning against the wall giving customers the impression that the sales staff is too tired to serve them.

2) Talking in groups giving customers the impression that you are not interested in serving.

3) Crowding around the customer when a customer is trying on something it makes them feel uncomfortable

4) Day dreaming, customers would feel that you are proberly lost in your own world, they rather not disturb you

5) Not greeting every customer that steps in, it makes customers feel unwelcome.

There you have it just my observations, work has been pretty slack so far so i'm just chilling in there enjoying my work. Been very tired recently i got a long 4 day off due to some school activities and off days haha. Would only work next Thursday =)

Quote of the day: Everyone has it's burden, what counts is how you carry it

Attachment Grades.

My IA teacher visited my supervisor today to evaluate my performance at Tangs. I was kinda worried about what my supervisor is going to say to my teacher as I know that she's a supervisor with pretty high expectations considering her capabilities.

The first thing my supervisor said to me was don't worry i gave you high marks, then my teacher walked over and said you couldn't ask for better. My supervisor gave me A for everything except something about security issues which wasn't even graded by her. I'm kinda suprise but looks like my hard work is paying off =) i suppose 10As & 1 B for attachment isn't that bad haha.

I'm quite proud to be getting A because at Tangs most of the supervisors are very strict about grading the students.My supervisor said that i was always on the ball, takes initiative to greet and serve customers. She told my teacher that she hopes i come back to this department next year. Well it's not my decision but the VP told me that she wants us to switch department so we can learn more stuff.

Quote of the day: Man is only truly great when he acts from passion

Case Study

A lady bought a new ZZZ brand washing machine from XXX company. The new washing machine leaks. The reason being the hole where the water is suppose to go into is too small. The lady did not have any problem as the hole fit the old washing machine perfectly. XXX company's service staff came 3 times and tried to solve the problem but they kept coming back cause the water kept leaking when they tried to tape it 3 times. Finally the ZZZ brand guy came down, he said that it was'nt his problem as there's nothing wrong with the washing machine. The problem lies with the size of the hole.

Lady's point of view: The new washing machine gives her more problems then the old washing machine, inefficient service from XXX company and ZZZ brand person not bother about the problem with the leak.

XXX's point of view: I came 3 times trying to service this machine, it's not like i dont care about your machine. I tape up the pipe 3 times and it doesn't work i shall call the ZZZ person to see what he could do for you.

ZZZ's point of view: The problem does not lie with the machine, it lies with the hole. The hole's too small and only older washing machines can fit into a hole like that. I would only service the machine if it breaks down.

Can anyone figure out the solution to this problem?

Quote of the day: Customers don't want to hear the problems, they just want the solution.